Publications

President's ColumnMarch 2012

Louis James de Viel Castel

How far we have come.

Perhaps that thought is best reserved for next
month, when the global tobacco control
community will come together at the 15th World
Conference on Tobacco or Health in Singapore to
review tobacco control’s progress and
unfinished agenda.

Or perhaps stored away until 2014, when our
still young organization marks its tenth
anniversary.

But, even this early in the year, there is no
postponing one thought: 2012 will be a year of
meaningful milestones as we build on all that
the tobacco control community has accomplished
in a short time.

A mere six years ago, before the Bloomberg
Initiative ignited a global movement to curb
tobacco’s deadly devastation, we would never
have thought it possible that we would soon
see:

• More than one billion people now
protected by smoke-free legislation or other
effective tobacco control policies
• 303 tobacco laws drafted or for which
consultations have been provided
• 21 countries passing 100% smoke-free
laws
• A 400% increase in the percentage of
people protected from the harmful effects of
second-hand smoke.
• Smoking rates in Hong Kong and Singapore
poised to drop to single digit levels –
making it reasonable for the first time in
history to make the case that near elimination
of tobacco in some societies is achievable

We all owe two immense debts of gratitude: to
Bloomberg Philanthropies for entering the arena
to enable the planning, organizing capacity,
and coordinated strategy that has made this
tremendous global change possible; and to the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for following
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ lead in addressing
the greatest epidemic of our time.

Through our partnership with the Bloomberg
Initiative, WLF has played its own part in
exceeding expectations. Our organization has
helped launch more than 80 mass media campaigns
in 20 countries. These achievements have come
in places like China, India, Egypt, Mexico,
Poland, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam --
some of the most difficult political
environments for public health. Our support and
technical expertise has brought clear
information to millions about the harms of
tobacco use, and boosted support for
life-saving policies to curb it.

Our hard work will bear additional fruit in the
near future. These milestones, all direct
outcomes of our mass media work, are now
imminent:

• One
billion people around the world will have seen
strong, effective anti-smoking messages made
possible by WLF.
• First-ever campaigns will be completed
in Bangladesh and Indonesia, with WLF’s
support.
• First-ever national campaigns are
nearing launch or under development in
Indonesia, Russia and China – three countries
that together account for one third of the
world’s smokers.

Also at Singapore, WLF will co-publish with
American Cancer Society the fourth edition of
The Tobacco
Atlas – a now indispensible tool to
help civil society and governments take
decisive action to reduce tobacco’s harms.
The new edition updates global data and adds,
for the first, analysis of the use of snus and
e-cigarettes.

Later this year, too, the global tobacco
control community will gather at the Conference
of Parties in Seoul, South Korea to draw up
guidelines for governments to protect their
programs from tobacco industry interference.

Despite all this progress, we must remember
that it is less than a decade since the WHO
Framework Convention on Tobacco Control — a
landmark for global public health and
international cooperation – was established
as a road map of proven, effective tobacco
control policies.

Let us also remember that much remains to be
done.

Billions of people still live without the
protection of effective tobacco control
policies. More than 70% of the world’s
population saw no national tobacco
counter-advertising in the past two years. The
powerful tobacco industry and its forces are
intensifying their legal challenges – and
spreading them to such new arenas such as
international trade law.

Tobacco use continues to be the leading
preventable cause of mortality in the world
today. It is responsible for more than five
million deaths each year, 80% of which occur in
low and middle-income countries. It is
responsible for one in ten preventable deaths
worldwide and is also a primary contributor to
the global non-communicable disease epidemic.

Yes, we have come far indeed. Let us be
appreciative and proud of all that has been
accomplished. But let us remain focused,
proactive and energetic as we face the road
ahead. I look forward to continuing the path
forward with many of you in Singapore and
beyond.